500 Words: Chris Hillcox, Labour Candidate, Weoley

We are contacting each candidate for Kings Norton, Longbridge, Northfield and Weoley wards and giving them the opportunity to write ‘500 Words’ describing themselves and their campaign. Each submission will be published here, without editing. You will be able to view all of the series by clicking the ‘500 Words’ tag.

I used to be a secondary school teacher, but now I’m a full time dad with two children. Last year I worked for Allen’s Cross Community Association on a community heritage project which gave me a great insight into the history of Weoley.

Over the last year I have led campaigns to help people have their say over the Barnes Hill ASDA development. I’ve also helped residents to tackle fly tipping in the ward and address issues of ‘underage drinking dens’ within the ward. I strongly oppose the reduction by the Council in local services for the elderly, families & young people. the cuts are too fast and too deep. That is why I’d like you to vote for me on May 5th.

I will campaign to protect local and West Midlands police numbers. I will oppose plans to cut them by 1,000 while wasting £100 million on a new tier of politicians with elected police commissioners.

I will campaign to support jobs in Birmingham. The Tory-led Government and Council cuts will cost 17,000 local jobs through and the VAT increase, whilst axing the Future Jobs Fund.

Fight the NHS sell-off – I will campaign alongside nurses and health workers who are furious at the Tory-led government plans which threaten to bring in private companies to run Birmingham’s NHS.

Richard Burden MP for Northfield says “As the local MP, my job is to stand up for Allen’s Cross, Weoley Castle and Weoley Hill in Parliament and to help people with local problems. I know that all too often, Birmingham Council is out of touch with local people. At the moment all the Councillors for this area are Conservatives. You deserve better than to have your local councillors backing the Conservative-run council and the Conservative-run government as they destroy the services that local people need. It will be a real boost to have Chris on the team as a Labour Councillor fighting for a fair deal for you. Please vote and support Chris.”

Robert Ankcorn from Weoley, says “Cuts to the youth service budget will leave my friends and I with little to do in the local area. I back Chris’s campaign to oppose cuts to the youth service budget.’ The Tories are cutting 3 million pounds from the Youth Service buget across the city. Along with national cuts to the EMA made by the Tory – Lib Dem government, these local cuts are the wrong thing to do. We need to do more for our young people not less. Support Chris who wants to do more for young people.”